Automatic electric cotton-chopper.



A PATENTE!) APR. 28, 1908. D. vvR. BRAGUNIER & A. AB. THOMPSON.AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COTTON CHOPPER.

v APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WJTNESSES l UNITED srrns FICE.

DAVID RALPH BRAGUIER AND ALFORD B. THOMPSON, OF COLUMBIA, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Patented April 2s, 190e.

Application filed May 14, 1907. Serial No. 373,549.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, DAVID RALPH BRA- GUNIER and ALFonD B. THOMPSON,citizens of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county ofHouston and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful AutomaticElectric Cotton-Chopper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to automatic electric cotton choppers and itconsists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts ashereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a cotton chopper of thecharacter indicated which consists of a series of blades adapted to moveorbita-lly across the row of plants in order to remove the superfluousgrowth. The blades are actuated at intervals through mechanism oeratively connected with a traction wheelwhich forms one of the supportsof the implement.

The implement is provided with an electric generator which is operatedby the said traction wheel and the terminals of which are electricallyconnected with a circuit closer. A pendent trip is provided foroperating the circuit closer when the said trip comes in contact withplants left standing` in the row. Electro-magnets are connected in thecircuit and o Jerate a relay in the form of a catch. Said re ay is inthe path of one end of a lever which is connected with a spring actuatedclutch mechanism for transmitting movement at intervals from thetraction wheel to the mechanism for actuating the blades. Said relay isadapted to retain the adjacent end of the lever against the tension ofthe spring of the clutch mechanism and when the circuit is closed by theaforesaid trip coming in contact with the plants and the magnets areenergized the catch end of the relay is moved out of the path of the lever and the same is permitted to swing under the tension of theaforesaid spring and the opposite end of the lever is carried into thepath of the chopping blade and remains in such position until engaged bythe approaching chopping blade when it is moved back against the tensionof the clutch spring into its normal position and in the meantimeanother blade has traversed the row of plants and cut out a section ofthe same.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a top plan view of theimplement. F ig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view of the blades supporting platform and attachedparts.

The chopper consists of the tongue 1 the rear end of which is supportedupon the axle 2. The said axle is supported by a ground wheel 3 and atraction wheel 4. The brackets 6 depend from the tongue 1 and areconnected together by the platform 7. The bearings 8 are mounted uponthe platform 7 and extend laterally beyond the edges of the same. Theshafts 9 and 10 are journaled in the opposite ends of the bearings 8 andare located along opposite edges of the platform 7. The sprocket wheels11 are mounted upon the shafts 9 and 1() and the sprocket chains 12 passaround the sprocket wheels upon the opposite shafts. The hoe blades 13are located at intervals upon the sprocket chains 12 and are providedwith the lugs 14 which move along one of the bearings 8 and maintain thesaid blade at proper distances from the platform 7 when under stress.The gear wheel 15 is fixed to the hub of the traction wheel 4. Thebracket 16 is attached to the axle 2 and the stub shaft 17 is carried bysaid bracket. The gear wheel 18 is jour* naled upon the shaft 17 andmeshes with the gear wheel 15. The gear wheel 18 is attached to the sideof the beveled gear wheel 19 which is provided at one side with a collar20 which is engaged by a link 21. A shaft 22 is j ournaled for rotationand extends parallel with the tongue 1. Said shaft 22 is provided at itsrear end with a beveled gear wheel 28 which is adapted to be engaged anddisengaged by the beveled gear wheel 19. The beveled gear wheel 19 andthe gear 18 are adapted to move laterally and form a clutch mechanismand are actuated by rods and a lever as will be hereinafter explained.The forward end of the shaft 22 is provided with a sprocket wheel 24.The rear end of the shaft 10 is provided with a sprocket Wheel 25. Thesprocket chain 26 passes around the sprocket wheels 24 and 25. One endof the link 21 is connected with a lever 27 and the opposite end of thesaid lever is connected with the rod 28. The rod 28 extends parallelwith the axle 2 and is connected with a spring actuated rocker 29. Thetension of the spring of said rocker is such as to have a' tendency tohold the clutch, above referred to, in gear with the gear wheel 15 andthe beveled pinion 23. The rod 30 connects the rocker 29 with the lever3 1 which is fulcrumed upon the tongue 1. When the clutch mechanism isin gear with the gear wheel, as above stated, the lower end of the lever31 extends in to the path of the hoe blades 13. The generator 32 is alsomounted upon the axle 2 and the shaft of its armature is provided withthe gear wheel 33 which meshes with the gear wheel 13. The wire 34connects one of the poles of the generator with the electro-magnets 35and the wire 36 connects the said electro-magnets with a terminal 37which is located in the casing 38. The wire 39 connects the other poleof the generator 32 with the terminal 4() also located in the casing 33.The said terminals 37 and 40 are normally spaced apart but the terminal40 may be moved into contact with the terminal 37, thus, forming acircuit closer. The trip 41 hangs pendent from the platform 7 and isprovided with a rod 42 which enters the casing 38 and attaches with theterminal 40.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that as the implement isdrawn along the ground the rotation of the traction wheel 4 through thegear wheels 15 and 33 operate the generator 32 and energize the same. lnthe mean time, the lower end of the lever 31 has been engaged by one ofthe blades 13 and the upper end of the said lever has been moved underthe catch end 43 of the relay 44. Said relay is located under theelectro-magnets 35 and the catch end 43 thereof holds the lever 31against the tension of the spring of the rocker 21 and consequently, theclutch ,is

v out of gear with the traction wheel 4 and the shaft 22. During thecontact of one of the blades 13 with the lever 31, as above described,the other blade 13 has traversed the row of plants and removed a sectiontherefrom. The implement now passes along the space from which theplants have been removed and when the trip 41 comes in contact with theplants left standing at the end of the space the lants brush the tripback which carries wit it the rod 41 and the terminal 40. When theterminal 40 comes in contact-with the terminal 37 an electric circuit iscompleted from the generator 32 along wire 34, electro-magnets 35, wire36, terminals 37 and 40, and wire 39, back to the generator. Thus themagnets 35 are energized and the magnetism acting upon the relay 44attracts the same and lifts the catch end 43 thereof out of the path ofthe up er end of the lever 31. Thus, the tension o the spring of therocker 29 may come into play and operate the clutch mechanism so thatthe means for actuating the blades 13 is thrown in gear with thetraction wheel and the blades are moved as above described and asucceeding section is cut out of the row of plants with several lantsleft standing at the interval occurring between the previously mentionedand succeedng sections removed by the blade. The

2. A chopper comprising a movable blade,

means for disconnecting the blade from its actuating means and anelectrically operated catch mechanism for retaining the iirst saidmeans.

3. A chopper comprising a movable blade,

movable means for disconnecting the blade from its actuating means whichextends at intervals into the path of the blade, and an electricallyoperated catch mechanism for retaining the first said means out of thepath. of the blade.

4. A chopper comprising a movable blade, movable means for disconnectingthe blade from its actuating means which extends at intervals into thepath of the blade, an electrically operated catch mechanism forretaining the 'first said meansout of the path of the blade, and a tripoperated circuit closing means electrically connected with the catchmechanism.

5. A chopper comprising a movable blade, movable means for disconnectingthe blade from its actuating means which extends at intervals into thepath of the blade, a s ring for holding said means in the path ol theblade, an electrically operated catch mechanism for retaining the iirstsaid means out of the path of the blade, and a trip operated circuitclosing means electrically connected with the catch mechanism.

6. A chopper comprising an orbitally movable blade, means for actuatingthe same, means for interrupting the action of the actuating means andelectrically operated means for controlling the interru ting means.

7. A chopper comprising or itally movable blades, chains carrying thesame, and means for actuating the chains at intervals.

8. A chopper comprising orbitally movable blades, chains carrying thesame, means for actuating the chains, means for interrupting the actionof the actuating means, and electrically operated means for controllingthe interrupting means.

9. A chopper comprising orbitally movable blades, means for actuatingthe same, means for interrupting the action of the actuating means, anelectrically operated `means for controlling the interrupting means, anda trip actuated circuit closer electrically connected with the last saidmeans.

10. A cotton chopper having a cho ing blade and means iol' actuating thellade adapted to be operated by contact With a standing plant.

1l. A cotton chopper having a chopping blade7 and means including anelectric circuit for actuating the blade adapted to be operated bycontact with a standing plant.

tures in the presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID RALPH BRAGUNIER.

ALFORD B. THOMPSON. Witnesses z B11-ITT HOLLAND7 FRANK F. KOERBER.

i' l i

